Baroness Hilary Armstrong MP - Former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for Cabinet Office and Social Exclusion
In 1985, Hilary was selected by the local Labour Party in North West Durham to be their parliamentary candidate and she was first elected to parliament in General Election of 1987. As a Member of Parliament Hilary has served as an opposition frontbench spokesperson on Education (1988-1992). In 1994 she was appointed the Treasury Affairs Team. In 1995 she was made Opposition spokesperson on the Environment and London, with responsibility for Local Government. After Labour's 1997 general election victory, she was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions with responsibility for Local Government and Housing.
As Minister for Regions she advanced the government's regional policy helping areas such as the North East of England. She also had special responsibility for Social Exclusion and oversaw the creation of the government's Social Exclusion Unit.
In 1999, Hilary was made a member of the Privy Council. Following the 2001 General Election Hilary was promoted to the Cabinet and given the cabinet position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Government Chief Whip. Only the second woman to hold the position. She was re-appointed as Government Chief Whip following the 2005 General Election.
In 2006, Hilary was appointed to the post of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Social Exclusion. In June 2007, Hilary announced her decision to step down from the Government and return to the backbenches after 18 years as a Party spokesperson and Government Minister.
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